Dear Mark Zuckerberg

Dear Mark,

In your recent commencement address to Harvard, you said:

“We should explore ideas like universal basic income to make sure that everyone has a cushion to try new ideas.”

Mind if I ask a question?  Here it is:

What gives you or anyone else the right to treat other people’s money as if it is your own to do with as you please?

Please satisfy my curiosity.

When I was growing up we had a word for the type of thing you’re suggesting.  We called it “stealing.”  Nowadays conservatives call it “wealth redistribution.”  The leftists euphemistically call it “social justice.”  That sounds so much nicer than “stealing.”  But it’s all the same thing.

If the late, great Founders of this awesome country had had a crystal ball to see the names and faces of the enemies of liberty we would face within our own nation, they might have dealt with you and your ilk specifically.  But they had no way of knowing that a clever young man with the mental maturity of a 13-year old child would become a powerful billionaire by virtue of a popular social media website, and that this would seemingly entitle him to arrogantly and openly suborn nationwide theft.  The times may change but human nature never does, and the Founders knew you would come even if they didn’t know who you would be.  You are one of the wolves that Ben Franklin so wisely warned us about.  The Constitution our Founders gave us was meant to protect us from people like you.  You are a party to that “social contract” by virtue of your citizenship here, and being a party to the contract myself I’m here to say you have no right to propose what you’re proposing.  Do whatever you want with your own money, but keep your mitts off everyone else’s.  That goes for your friends too.

I could talk about all of the incredibly bad and predictable consequences of an idea like “universal basic income,” and back it up with centuries of history.  I could bring up all of the liberal programs that are riddled with fraud and corruption, that start out small and grow like the most aggressive cancers.  I could list all of the human parasites that feed off of ideas like yours and then multiply like zombies in the movies, beginning with the politicians.  Or I could point to the vast quantities of amazing innovation that we have somehow managed to produce without this brilliant idea of a “universal basic income.” That’s what conservative bloggers typically do when liberals share their great ideas.

But I won’t because I shouldn’t have to.  I am simply saying “No,” because you have no right to suggest what you’re suggesting.

If Republicans wanted to do anything useful while they control the three branches of our government they would make it a crime to do what you did in your speech at Harvard, just as it would be a crime, I presume, for me to suggest exploring the idea of taking Mark Zuckerburg’s fortune.  Regardless of how I feel about how you made your fortune or how you waste it, I would never do such a thing because I’m not a thief.  That, and billions of dollars, is the difference between you and me.

Lastly, Mark, I just want to point out that your idea for a “universal basic income” isn’t even necessary, because every American already has access to a guaranteed income.  We just have a different name for it.  We call it “having a job.”

Sincerely,

CW

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